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The article analyzes intergenerational consequences of residential schools and ongoing policy denial, showing how cultural disconnection and normalized dysfunction hinder educational success and perpetuate cycles.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & 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\nMany First Nations people in Canada struggle in the acquisition of the skills associated with western literacy, that is, with the skills necessary to communicate through reading, writing, and numeracy in either English or French. Rooted in the history of colonial education, this problem continues to have a negative impact on the lives of individuals and communities. Its solution requires a change of attitudes, respect for Aboriginal knowledge and teachings, recognition of the importance of lifelong learning opportunities, academic research, political will and, most importantly, the real and continuing participation of all stakeholders.  \nWestern literacy in Canada is primarily concerned with the skills necessary to communicate through reading, writing, and numeracy in either of the two official languages, English and French. For many First Nations people, the acquisition of these skills is a persistent problem. Students and adults often demonstrate lower literacy levels than other groups in the general population, with long-term consequences for the quality of individual lives and the community asa whole. Low skill levels in western literacy continue to affect the lives of many First Nations people in Canada for a variety of reasons and, while some solutions have been suggested, the problem has not yet been effectively addressed.  \nThe effects of low literacy levels and low educational achievement can persist throughout life, affecting personal well-being as well as the well-being of the community, and ultimately the country. Poor education impacts negatively on self-esteem and employment opportunities, which can lead to apathy and welfare dependence (Helin, 2008) . A low income can often mean poorer nutrition and relegation to sub-standard housing, which in turn can cause or exacerbate health problems. Poverty can lead to illegal ways of making money and, while this behaviour is obviously a choice, incarceration rates decline as education and employment situations improve (Statistics Canada, 2009) . Childhood poverty, which was supposed to have been eradicated in Canada by 2000, is actually increasing and is linked to low levels of parental literacy skills (Antone et al. , 2003) . Parents with literacy challenges cannot help their children with schoolwork and may be reluctant to be involved in their schooling, priming the cycle to repeat itself. Given the cost of low literacy levels to the individual and to society in general, it is very surprising that more government attention is not given to this issue.  \nThe causes of low literacy levels are deep rooted and complex, and have their origins in Canada’s colonial past. Residential schools are gone now, but the full intergenerational impact of their legacy is frequently misunderstood. The purpose of the schools was to eradicate the Aboriginal identity of the students, and to create a permanent underclass of labourers and servants without equality or genuine education, and without cultural identity (Sabourin & Sabourin, 2004) . If an underclass can be characterized by persistent poverty, unemployment, low education levels, poor health, high incarceration rates, addictions, and violence, situations that plague many Aboriginal people today, then the pernicious influence of residential schools persists into the present. Living with any or all of the factors listed above can jeopardize a child’s chances of educational success. Serious family dysfunction, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and fetal drug effects can make successful learning all but impossible (Fournier & Crey, 1997) . Although these situations stem from behaviours that involve choices on the part of the parents, they also have their roots in the intergenerational effects of residential schools and the subsequent normalization of dysfunctional behaviour (Tait, 2003) . Even if a student does not  \nsuffer personally from any of ","cbCaibphDrvR786i","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaibphDrvR786i","pdf",246464,"English","# Abstract\n## Western literacy challenges in First Nations communities\n## Lifelong effects of low literacy and educational achievement\n## Colonial roots and residential schools' legacy\n## Educational irrelevance, cultural disconnection, and policy denial","[{\"question\":\"What does the article mean by “western literacy” in Canada?\",\"answer\":\"It refers to skills for communicating through reading, writing, and numeracy in either English or French, which many First Nations people struggle to acquire.\"},{\"question\":\"How do low literacy levels affect individuals and communities?\",\"answer\":\"The document links low literacy to reduced educational achievement that can persist across life, harming self-esteem, employment opportunities, and broader community well-being, partly through poverty-related health and living conditions.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the article’s proposed causes of low literacy and school failure?\",\"answer\":\"It emphasizes deep colonial roots, especially the intergenerational impact of residential schools, and adds factors such as family dysfunction, poverty, and Aboriginal youth perceiving school as irrelevant or disconnected from culture.\"}]","Western Literacy and First Nations Education | PDF",1792080637,13]